The Straight Dope: What's the nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence" all about? A Staff Report from the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board What's the nursery rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence" all about? April 4, 2001 Dear Straight Dope: Recently while reading some nursery rhymes to my children at bed time, we read about "sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye." What is the significance of a "song of sixpence," and why would a "pocket full of rye" make any difference? This poem seems to be rather nonsensical. I mean, how large would a pie have to be to hold 24 blackbirds anyway? Could you just explain the whole damn poem? Inquiring minds want to know. — Steve S., Salt Lake City, UT It's difficult to know exactly where or how folksongs and folktales got started or exactly what they mean. "Sing a Song of Sixpence" is no exception. It appears as the third rhyme in Volume II of Tom Thumb's Pretty Song Book, published around 1744. No copy of Volume I is known to exist.

There is only one known copy of Volume II, which is kept in the British Museum and is generally agreed to be the earliest existing book of nursery rhymes. The rhyme appears in almost the same version that we have today, as follows: Sing a Song of Sixpence, A bag full of Rye, Four and twenty When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Was not that a dainty dish, To set before the king? The king was in his counting-house, Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlor, Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes, There came a little blackbird, And snapped off her nose. You will note a few changes since then, but not many. The rhyme is almost certainly older than 1744, but no earlier publication has been found (at least, not as of 1970). There are earlier indirect references. Shakespeare, in Twelfth Night: "Come on, there is sixpence for you; let's have a song." And a 1614 work by Beaumont and Fletcher includes the line, "Whoa, here's a stir now!

Sing a song of sixpence!" According to the Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, an Italian cookbook from 1549 (translated into English in 1598) actually contains a recipe "to make pies so that birds may be alive in them and flie out when it is cut up." The ODNR also cites a 1723 cook who describes this as an earlier practice, the idea being that the birds cause "a diverting Hurley-Burley amongst the Guests." It was not uncommon in the 16th century for a chef to hide surprises in the dinner pie; this is also reflected in the nursery rhyme "Little Jack Horner" (of which more later). So the most obvious explanation of "Sing a Song of Sixpence" is that it reflected an actual practice--baking a pie full of live birds that popped out when the pie was opened. Other theories include: The 24 blackbirds reflect 24 hours in a day; the king is the sun, the queen is the moon. King Henry VIII is the king, Catherine of Aragon is the queen, and Anne Boleyn is the maid.

The blackbirds are--get ready for this--manorial deeds baked in a pie. During the period when Henry VIII was taking over the property of the Catholic Church, the abbot of Glastonbury is said to have sent his steward to London with a Christmas gift intended to appease the king--a pie in which were hidden the deeds to twelve manorial estates. The steward, Thomas Horner, is alleged to have opened the pie and extracted one deed, that of the manor of Mells, where his descendents still live. This may be the origin of the aforementioned Little Jack Horner nursery rhyme. The song commemorates the publication of the first English bible, with the blackbirds being the letters of the alphabet set in pica type ("baked in a pie"). Personally My own uneducated opinion is that this interpretation is dubious, since the 24-letter alphabet only existed between the 10th and 11th Centuries. (W appeared in the 11th Century to condense UU, and J in the 15th Century as an initial form of I.) A few other explanatory notes, some courtesy of William S.

and Ceil Baring-Gould, authors of The Annotated Mother Goose: The "bag" in the 1744 version later became a pocket full, and it's presumed that a "pocket full" was once a specific measurement, like a cupful. Rye is, of course, a grain that was (and is) commonly used in bread making, or piecrust making, as the case may be. The number four and twenty is among the most common in Mother Goose rhymes. It is twice twelve, or a double dozen. The number 12 brims over with tradition and associations. We have already described why the birds might be baked in a pie. The "counting house" was the place used to conduct business, and is referenced many times in Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor. That pretty much explains the obscurer references; the rest of the rhyme is sort of self-explanatory. I shan't bother with explaining that "hanging up the clothes" was the way to let them dry after washing in the pre-Kenmore era.

By the way, some later versions of the rhyme include happier endings for the maid, such as: They sent for the king's doctor, Who sewed it on again, He sewed it on so neatly, The seam was never seen. — Dex Staff Reports are written by the Straight Dope Science Advisory Board, Cecil's online auxiliary. Though the SDSAB does its best, these columns are edited by Ed Zotti, not Cecil, so accuracywise you'd better keep your fingers crossed. Sing A Song Of Six Pence | Nursery Rhymes by Hooplakidz - YouTube Sing A Song Of Six Pence | Nursery Rhymes by Hooplakidz Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Mar 21, 2011 Download HooplaKidz Christmas Songs on iTunes Sing Along to one of the most popular songs Sing A Song of Six Pence nursery rhymes by Hooplakidz and have fun watching and learning !!!

Lyrics to Sing Along :- Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn't that a dainty dish To set before the king? The king was in his counting house, Counting all the money; The queen was in the parlor, Eating bread with honey The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes; When down came a blackbird Who snapped off her nose! Category When autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Up next Play now Mix - Sing A Song Of Six Pence | Nursery Rhymes by HooplakidzYouTube I Hear Thunder | Nursery Rhymes Songs Collection | From HooplaKidz - Duration: 1:24:42. HooplaKidz - Nursery Rhymes for Children 122,499 views 1:24:42 Five Little Ducks | Plus Lots More Nursery Rhymes | 74 Minutes Compilation from LittleBabyBum! - Duration: 1:14:37.

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Origins: Many of us fondly recall the rhyming ditties we learned as children, such as "Jack Be Nimble" and "The Farmer in the Dell." But how many of us realize that several of our most fondly-recalled nursery rhymes (e.g., "A Tisket, A Tasket" and "Little Jack Horner") were not mere nonsense songs, but actually originated as coded references to such dark events as plagues and religious persecution? Such was the case with another childhood favorite, "Sing a Song of Sixpence." For those unfamiliar with this ditty, let's start by offering its lyrics: Sing a song of sixpence A pocket full of rye Four and twenty blackbirds When down came a blackbird And snapped off her nose! The surprising truth is that this innocent little rhyme, which dates from the early 1700s, actually represents a coded message used to recruit crew members for pirate vessels!

Pirates (or corsairs, privateers whose activities were sanctioned by letters of marque from a sovereign) did not spend all their time at sea: they cruised the waters in areas such as the Mediterranean, the Spanish Main, or the Atlantic coast of North America, looking for prizes, and they returned to port when the need for supplies or repairs demanded it. Upon reaching port, the ship's captain paid off the crew (primarily by dividing the spoils of whatever they had captured), and the crew members then dispersed ashore (usually to spend all their pay on alcohol and prostitutes as quickly as possible). Some crewmen tended to stay in the vicinity, but others left for other regions, caught on with other ships, died, were killed, or simply disappeared. Thus, much like the captains of naval vessels and merchant traders, the captains of pirate ships needed to recruit new crew members whenever they embarked on yet another venture. Since piracy (as opposed to privateering) was against the law, pirates devised codes that could be used to advertise for crew members without openly revealing their illegal affiliations.

The nursery rhyme "Six a Song of Sixpence" was a coded message that evolved over several years' times and was used by confederates of the notorious pirate Blackbeard to recruit crew members for his prize-hunting expeditions. Like many other messages passed down to us over hundreds of years by oral tradition, there is no one "official" version, nor is there a "correct" interpretation for any particular variant. In general, however, the most common form of this rhyme bore these veiled meanings: Sing a song of sixpence / A pocket full of rye Blackbeard's standard payment of sixpence a day was considered good money in the 1700s, especially since most pirate vessels did not pay a salary: the crew only received a share of the spoils if they were successful in capturing prizes (and many a pirate ship had to return to port empty-handed after spending several fruitless months at sea). As well, his crew was promised a pocket (a leather bag somewhat like an early canteen which held about a liter) full of rye (whiskey) per day. Not bad, considering that alcohol was the average sailor's raison d'etre.

Four and twenty blackbirds / Baked in a pie As Henry Betts points out in his book on the origins and history of nursery rhymes, "It was a favourite trick in the sixteenth century to conceal all sorts of surprises in a pie." Buccaneers, too, were fond of surprises, and one of Blackbeard's favorite ruses to lure a ship within boarding range was to make his own vessel (or crew) appear to be in distress, typically by pretending to have been dismasted in a storm or to have sprung a leak below the waterline. Passing ships — both honest sailors wanting to help and other pirates looking for an easy catch — would sail in close to offer assistance, whereupon a crew of two dozen heavily-armed seamen dressed in black would board the other vessel (via a boat in darkness or fog, or by simply jumping into the other ship when it came alongside if no other means of surprise attack was possible) to quickly kill or disable as many crew members as possible. Thus the four and twenty "blackbirds" (i.e., Blackbeard's crewmen) "baked in a pie" (i.e., concealed in anticipation of springing a trap).

When the pie was opened / The birds began to sing This follows from the previous line. Once the victim's ship was lured in for the kill, the "blackbirds" came out of hiding and attacked with a fearsome din. Was that not a tasty dish / To set before a king? This line is commonly misinterpreted. The King is not a reference to any real king, but rather to Blackbeard himself, the king of pirates. And the tasty dish is the plundered ship that was so easily captured. The King was in his counting house / Counting out his money Again, the King is Blackbeard (no real king would take on such a mean task as counting money). This line of the message signals that Blackbeard had the cash on hand to pay a crew on salary rather than strictly on divided spoils. The Queen was in the parlor / Eating bread and honey Blackbeard's main vessel was a French merchant ship named "Le Concorde de Nantes" that was jointly captured by Blackbeard and Captain Hornigold in the Grenadines in November of 1717.

Upon his retirement from pirating, Hornigold presented the ship to Blackbeard, who renamed it "The Queen Anne's Revenge". Thus the "Queen" referred to here is Blackbeard's ship, and "eating bread and honey" meant that it was in port taking on supplies in preparation for a cruise. The Maid was in the garden / Hanging out the clothes The use of the word "maid" indicated that the location/route of one or more prize ships was known, and they were going to be specific targets of the upcoming cruise (this greatly enhancing the probability of the crew's collecting prize money). The waters around the Carolinas down to the Caribbean were referred to as the garden, as this was an area where pirates would often cruise for easy pickings. "Hanging out the clothes" meant the targeted ship was already at sea or just about to leave port (thus its sails — or "clothes" — have been hung). When down came a blackbird / And snapped off her nose!

There is some scholarly debate in literary and maritime circles as to whether the last part was originally "and snapped off her nose" or "and snapped off a rose." Either way, the passage is taken to be a Blackbeard's bragging about his plans to swoop in and have his way with the targeted ship. So, next time you hear this innocent children's song, remember that it was originally recited in taverns by drunken, bloodthirsty buccaneers as a code to recruit other pirates for their next murderous voyage! Additional information: Sing a Song of Sixpence – FREE Primary KS1 teaching resource - Scholastic Rated 5/5 from 1 rating ( Write a review ) By Helen Bromley — Yellow Door Here are some ideas for using the nursery rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence with your class. A repertoire of nursery rhymes is ideal for developing the awareness of rhythm, rhyme and alliteration, skills which underpin learning to read and write. Firmly rooted in the past, nursery rhymes also offer a valuable way into a whole range of topics for discussion. Sing a Song of Sixpence crosses many areas of knowledge and understanding, including both birds and money.

Talking points Download the animated version of Sing a Song of Sixpence and let the children enjoy singing along to it. Use the animation as a starting point for a discussion about the King and his unusual pie. Ask the children questions such as, How would it feel to be in a pie? Do you think the King would ever want to eat pie again? What songs would you like to hear coming from the pie? How would you feel if something like this happened to you? Use the rhyme to stimulate discussion about royalty. Do the children know any other nursery rhymes that have kings or queens as the subject matter? Suggest The Queen of Hearts and Old King Cole if they struggle to come up with answers. A pocketful of rye Display the nursery rhyme poster on your interactive whiteboard and read the text with the children. Focus on rhyming words and challenge the children to find as many words as they can that rhyme with ‘rye’ and ‘pie’. How many different ways of making the long /i/ sound did they find? Move on to the nursery rhyme’s use of unusual words, such as sixpence and rye. Do the children know what these words mean? What do they think a dainty dish might be?

In his counting house Read the children the next verse of Sing a Song of Sixpence on the activity sheet. Ask the children, Why do you think the King kept his money in his ‘counting house’? What do you think the King was going to do with his money when he’d counted it? Should the King keep all his money for himself? Create a collection of coins to use for some mathematical sorting activities. Give the children plenty of time to explore the coins, and encourage them to devise ways of sorting. Provide a range of small boxes and other containers, including purses and bags, for children to use with the money. If you are lucky enough to have obtained any old or foreign coins, talk to the children about them. Who used them? Which countries have they come from? How old are they? Four and twenty blackbirds Work with the children to create an environment that attracts birds. Hang up a variety of bird feeders, preferably where children can observe them from inside. Invite a bird-watching enthusiast to come and talk to the children and to spend some time with them watching the birds that visit the feeders. Can the children devise a way of recording which birds they have seen?

These ideas and activities are tasters from one of the eight nursery rhymes featured in the Come Alive Nursery Rhymes: Games and activities pack and Interactive CD-ROM by Helen Bromley. They are reproduced here by kind permission of Yellow Door. For further information visit or call 0845 603 5309. Sing a Song of Sixpence - 必应 Sing a Song of Sixpence "唱一首六便士之歌"是一个众所周知的英语童谣，也许源自第十八世纪。 它也是路民歌中列出的索引编号为13191。 "Sing a Song of Sixpence" is a well-known English nursery rhyme , perhaps originating in the 18th century. It is also listed in the Roud Folk Song Index as number 13191. 关于Sing a Song of Sixpence，网友们最关心的问题 1 A common modern version is: Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye. Four and twenty blackbirds, When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn't that a dainty dish, To set before the king?

The king was in his counting house, Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlour, Ea... A common modern version is: Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye. Four and twenty blackbirds, When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn't that a dainty dish, To set before the king? The king was in his counting house, Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlour, Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes, When down came a blackbird And pecked off her nose. The final line of the fourth verse is sometimes slightly varied, with nose pecked or nipped off. One of the following additional verses is often added to moderate the ending: They sent for the king's doctor, who sewed it on again; He sewed it on so neatly, the seam was never seen. or: There was such a commotion, that little Jenny wren Flew down into the garden, and put it back again. Sing a Song of Sixpence Origins The rhyme's origins are uncertain. References have been inferred in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night (c.

1602), (Act II, Scene iii), where Sir Toby Belch tells a clown: "Come on; there is sixpence for you: let's have a song" and in Beaumont and Fletcher's Bonduca (1614), which contains the line "Whoa, here's a stir now! Sing a song o' sixpence!" In the past it has often been attributed to George Steevens (1736–1800), who used it in a pun at the expense of Poet Laureate Henry James Pye (1745–1813) in 1790, but the first verse had already appeared in print in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book, published in London around 1744, in the form: Sing a Song of Sixpence, A bag full of Rye, Four and twenty Naughty Boys, Baked in a Pye. The next printed version that survives, from around 1780, has two verses and the boys have been replaced by birds.

A version of the modern four verses is first extant in Gammer Gurton's Garland or The Nursery Parnassus published in 1784, which ends with a magpie attacking the unfortunate maid. Fifth verses with the happier endings began to be added from the middle of the 19th century. Sing a Song of Sixpence Meaning and interpretations Many interpretations have been placed on this rhyme. It is known that a 16th-century amusement was to place live birds in a pie, as a form of entremet. An Italian cookbook from 1549 (translated into English in 1598) contained such a recipe: "to make pies so that birds may be alive in them and flie out when it is cut up" and this was referred to in a cook book of 1725 by John Nott. The wedding of Marie de' Medici and Henry IV of France in 1600 contains some interesting parallels. "The first surprise, though, came shortly before the starter—when the guests sat down, unfolded their napkins and saw songbirds fly out.

The highlight of the meal were sherbets of milk and honey, which were created by Buontalenti." In The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, Iona and Peter Opie write that the rhyme has been tied to a variety of historical events or folklorish symbols such as the queen symbolizing the moon, the king the sun, and the blackbirds the number of hours in a day; or, as the authors indicate, the blackbirds have been seen as an allusion to monks during the period of Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII, with Catherine of Aragon representing the queen, and Anne Boleyn the maid. The rye and the birds have been seen to represent a tribute sent to Henry VII, and on another level, the term "pocketful of rye" may in fact refer to an older term of measurement. The number 24 has been tied to the Reformation and the printing of the English Bible with 24 letters. From a folklorish tradition, the blackbird taking the maid's nose has been seen as a demon stealing her soul.

No corroborative evidence has been found to support these theories and given that the earliest version has only one stanza and mentions "naughty boys" and not blackbirds, they can only be applicable if it is assumed that more recently printed versions accurately preserve an older tradition. In music On "Footprints," a song by A Tribe Called Quest on 1990's People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, lyricist Q-Tip uses this rhyme to describe the experience of a song getting stuck in your head... "When you get your finger on the music it'll linger, Sing a song o' sixpence, sing it like a singer". Mike d'Abo used the first verse in the song "Handbags and Gladrags" with the slightly altered lyrics "bottle full of rye". The song was later made popular by Rod Stewart and Stereophonics, among others. Two songs from The Beatles' White Album (1968) allude to this nursery rhyme: John Lennon's "Cry Baby Cry" and Paul McCartney's "Blackbird".

"Cleanup Time" from John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Double Fantasy" (1980) makes use of the third stanza ("The queen is in the counting home, counting out the money, the king is in the kitchen, making bread and honey") Distillation, the second album by musician Erin McKeown, features a song called "Blackbirds" that makes several allusions to the poem. It was released via Signature Sounds in 2000. The lines "Sing a song of sixpence, pocket full of rye" are sung by Tom Waits in "Midnight Lullaby", from his album Closing Time (1973) In the song "Stay Alive" in the hit musical "Hamilton" by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alexander Hamilton says, "They only take British money, so sing a song of sixpence.\ Onscreen In the 1932 Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon Wins Out, the attendees at the king's party are singing the song. Subsequently, Oswald is seen making the pie with the black birds in it.

In the Silly Symphony, Mother Goose Goes Hollywood (1938) a parodized Eddie Cantor sings the song, and when he reaches "four and twenty blackbirds, baked in a pie", several African American jazz singers pop their heads out of a pie. The entertainers featured include Cab Calloway, Stepin Fetchit, and Fats Waller. The title was parodied in Columbia's 1947 Three Stooges short Sing a Song of Six Pants (1947). Season 1, Episode 2 of the Showtime series, The Tudors, features Henry VIII of England presenting a pie filled with birds-released when the pie is cut-to Francis I of France at the famous Field of Cloth of Gold. In print Lord Byron parodied the nursery rhyme in the dedication of his narrative poem Don Juan, using it to mock the Poet Laureate, Robert Southey. Agatha Christie's short story, "Sing a Song of Sixpence", was first published in 1929.

Her 1953 Miss Marple mystery, A Pocket Full of Rye, features the rhyme, and her 1960 short story collection, The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding, contains a story called "Four and Twenty Blackbirds". A. J. Cronin's novel A Song of Sixpence (1964) and its sequel, A Pocketful of Rye (1969), take their titles from the rhyme. Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes (1982) contains the lines, "The king was in the counting house counting out the money. The queen was in the parlor eating bread and honey", in his poetic retelling of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". James Joyce used the lines, "The maid was in the garden" and "The King was in his counting house" in Ulysses, in the chapter “Calypso." In the next chapter, "Lotus Eaters," Bloom misquotes the line about the queen, saying "The Queen was in the bedroom" instead of "the Queen was in the parlor." Virginia Woolf's last novel, Between the Acts, features the third verse as a recurring motif.

^ a b c d e f g h i j I. Opie and P. Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), pp. 394-5. ^ Bonduca, act v, scene ii ^ Giovanni de Roselli's Epulario, quale tratta del modo de cucinare ogni carne, ucelli, pesci... (1549), of which an English translation, Epulario, or the Italian Banquet, was published in 1598 (Mary Augusta Scott, Elizabethan Translations from the Italian no. 256, p. 333f.). ^ Jenkins, Jessica Kerwin, The Encyclopedia of the Exquisite, Nan A. Talese/Doubleday,2010, p. 200-01 ^ Blow out! History's 10 greatest banquets - Features, Food & Drink - The Independent ^ Opie, p. 471 ^ "Showtime: The Tudors: Home". Sho.com. Retrieved 2012-08-15. ^ Marilee Mongello.

"Don Juan: Dedication". Englishhistory.net. Retrieved 2012-08-15. English Historical Fiction Authors: Sing a Song of Sixpence - A Nursery Rhyme, a King and Queen, and a novel. Sing a Song of Sixpence - A Nursery Rhyme, a King and Queen, and a novel. Judith Arnopp Sing a song of sixpence a pocket full of rye, Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie. When the pie was opened the birds began to sing, Oh wasn't that a dainty dish to set before the king? The king was in his counting house counting out his money, The queen was in the parlour eating bread and honey The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes, When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose. There are many theories as to the origins of the nursery rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence. Some see it as an early lampoon about the extravagances of royalty, some as a representation of Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon with Anne Boleyn playing the part of the maid. The blackbirds baked in the pie being the disaffected monks after the dissolution of the monasteries.

One account I stumbled across equated it with the pirate Blackbeard as ‘a coded message that evolved over several years and was used by confederates of the notorious pirate Blackbeard to recruit crew members for his prize-hunting expeditions.’ There is much more about Blackbeard here: I tend to prefer the Tudor links to the rhyme for although Sing a Song of Sixpence was first published in the 18th century it certainly has origins in the 16th. Perhaps sixpence was the going rate for a good song during this time. There are references to singing for sixpence in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night during a drunken conversation between Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew. “SIR ANDREW: Excellent! Why, this is the best fooling, when all is done. Now, a song. SIR TOBY BELCH: Come on; there is sixpence for you: let's have a song.” (Twelfth Night, Act II Sc. III) Elizabeth of York Of course, no Tudor banquet was complete without minstrels to play the favourite songs.

One can easily imagine the king and queen seated with their court at groaning tables, dining on exotic dainties to the strains of fabulous music. In the Tudor period (and certainly before that) extravagant dishes were created to amaze and enthrall the king. Swans and peacocks were roasted and the feathers then replaced to make it appear the birds were still living. Dishes such as dolphin and porpoise were not unheard of and, with recipes like these, one can imagine the chef’s unenviable task of thinking up new and innovative ideas to tease the royal palate. Song birds were regularly eaten, it is only one step further to serve the dish a little al dente. Why not a pie full of live birds? It wouldn’t have been so unusual. An Italian cookbook from 1549 contains a recipe ‘to make pies so that birds may be alive in them and flie out when it is cut’.

(See note 1) A description of the wedding of Henry IV of France and Marie de Medici says, ‘The first surprise, though, came shortly before the starter – when the guests sat down, unfolded their napkins and saw songbirds fly out.’ (See note 2) One version of the rhyme was published in Tom Thumb’s Pretty Song Book in around 1744. Instead of four and twenty black birds it has four and twenty ‘naughty boys’ beneath the crust. Sing a Song of Sixpence, A bag full of Rye, Four and twenty Naughty Boys, Baked in a Pye. What else, one wonders, would you do with twenty four disobedient children? Eating bread and honey Personally, I was taught as a child that the king and queen concerned were Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. (Incidentally, Elizabeth also graces the playing card and the likeness to her contemporary portraits are quite clear.) Henry Tudor is often depicted as being ‘careful’ with money and so fits quite well within his 'counting house.’ Whether this idea of kingly miserliness originates with the poem or vice versa it is not possible to say.

His taxes were unpopular enough for the Cornish to rise in arms against him. (Mind you, that is not at all unusual, people never like to pay tax.) But, miserly or not, his careful control of his finances meant that at his death the royal coffers were full; he would likely have turned in his grave if he’d known how quickly and thoroughly his son, Henry VIII, was to empty them, squandering his father’s riches on war and theatrical gestures. Elizabeth of York took no part in governing the country; her role was purely a domestic one, concerned with the children and charitable works; so again, the positioning of her in the rhyme eating bread and honey in the parlour is in keeping. In my forthcoming novel A Song of Sixpence Elizabeth is not depicted scoffing bread and honey in the parlour; instead she is battling to come to terms with the loss of the primary male members of her family and preserving her surviving kin from a similar fate. Her marriage to the former enemy Henry VII is difficult and not helped by the appearance of a man claiming to be her brother, Richard of York, thought to have perished in the Tower in 1483. A man that Henry dubs Perkin Warbeck.

In literature Elizabeth is most often presented as a daughter, wife or mother,. She has become as two dimensional as the image on the playing card. But she was a real woman, with real emotions, who lived in very turbulent times. I wanted to put some flesh on her bones, some thoughts in her head and give her some of the credit she is due. And the same for Henry. In both fiction and non-fiction he is either a cold calculating king or a complete monster. In A Song of Sixpence he is painted many shades of grey (no, it isn’t that sort of book). He is by no means an easy husband for Elizabeth for his years of exile have left him with insecurities and a chip on his shoulder that threatens both his marriage and his throne. His reign suffered more uprisings than any other; he can scarcely have enjoyed a quiet moment, but Elizabeth was raised to be dutiful and ultimately proves a good wife, a good queen, and an exemplary mother. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Song of Sixpence: The story of Elizabeth of York and 'Perkin Warbeck.' In the years after Bosworth, a small boy is ripped from his rightful place as future king of England and forced to roam the courts of Europe.

His sister Elizabeth, now Queen to the invader Henry Tudor, is torn between family loyalty and duty. As the final struggle between the houses of York and Lancaster is played out, Elizabeth is torn by conflicting loyalty, terror and unexpected love. Set at the court of Henry VII A Song of Sixpence offers a unique perspective on the early years of Tudor rule. Elizabeth of York, often viewed as a meek and uninspiring queen, emerges as a resilient woman whose strengths lay in endurance rather than resistance. A Song of Sixpence is available to pre-order for your UK Kindle NOW ; if you are in the USA, click here. You can read more about Judith and her work on her website : And purchase her books, both in paperback and on Kindle here. Illustrations for Wikimedia commons. Sing A Song Of Sixpence | Nursery Rhymes And Kids Videos For Childrens - YouTube Sing A Song Of Sixpence | Nursery Rhymes And Kids Videos For Childrens Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Published on Jul 21, 2014 A Song of Sixpence is a history lesson made fun. You kids get glittery-eyed whenever you’ll hear someone talk about the past. But, you’ll hate reading up pages about the same! So here’s a rhyme that makes it easy and enjoyable for you to catch up with the ancient times. It does the singing! So you’ll can sing along and dance... Have a playtime with history! This kids song is believed to be inspired from a 16th century form of amusement, where live birds were placed in a pie. To fly out when the pie is cut open. In the books, a famous incident reads that such specially baked pies were part of the entertainment at King Henry’s wedding. So, next time you’ll meet your friends, you’ll can boast about going to play in 1600 AD! And keep them guessing! Lyrics of the rhyme: Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye. Four and twenty blackbirds, When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn't that a dainty dish, To set before the king?

"Oh how lovely!" The king was in his counting house, Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlour, Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes, When down came a blackbird And pecked off her nose. *Ouch!* Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye. Four and twenty blackbirds, When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn't that a dainty dish, To set before the king? Category Activities for Preschoolers Using the Nursery Rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence" | Our Everyday Life Activities for Preschoolers Using the Nursery Rhyme "Sing a Song of Sixpence" by Andra Land Let one of the kids act out the tale of the blackbird pie-loving king. Related Articles Preschool Winter Activities Using Children's Names "Sing a Song of Sixpence" may not spring to mind when you think, "Hmmm -- yes, definitely going to teach the kids a nursery rhyme and plan activities to compliment it, by golly." Consider teaching it, though, primarily because it's an unusual choice. Step out of the 'familiar rhyme' box.

Be wild and crazy. Your kids have probably seen countless portrayals of Jack and Jill on TV. Someone could build a playhouse from books in the local library that retell "Hey Diddle Diddle." But who gives some love to "Sing a Song of Sixpence?" You do -- that's who. Blackbird Pie Art Make a pretend blackbird pie. Let the kids paint paper plates brown. While the plates are drying, cut enough blackbird shapes from black construction paper to make 24 blackbirds per pie. Don't worry about the shape of the birds. Sure, no pressure. Just cut shapes to look like feathery letter 'V' shapes. When the plates are dry, let the kids use glue sticks to attach 24 construction paper blackbirds to each brown plate. Dramatic Play Read "Sing a Song of Sixpence" while your dramatic cherubs act it out. There are parts for a king, a baker and up to 24 blackbirds. Yikes -- that's a lot of preschoolers. Round up some kingly looking costume things you have lying around the house.

Give the baker a brown towel, or a sheet or blanket that will be the "pocketful of rye" pie crust. He should place the towel over the blackbirds when the rhyme calls for them to be baked in the pie. The blackbirds may wear black, or not. Mostly, the birds need to flap their arms and sing. As you read the rhyme, encourage each actor to play his part very dramatically. Numbers Activity Three numbers your preschooler will recognize in "Sing a Song of Sixpence" are the number 6 (from the once-used British coin -- the sixpence) and, of course, the 4 and 20 -- from the blackbird count. Keep the numbers simple with a number-recognition activity. Make three papers to use in the activity, each with one of the numbers written on it. Draw the number 4 on one paper, the number 6 on another and the number 20 on the last paper. Lay the three number papers on the table or on the floor, where the kids can reach them. As you recite the rhyme to your children, ask them to point to the correct number when they hear you say it.

Bird Songs Give your spotlight-loving kids a moment to shine each time someone recites "Sing a Song of Sixpence" in your home. At the moment in the rhyme when the 'birds begin to sing' -- pause, then point to one of your own little song birds. Let him sing his heart out while everyone patiently listens to his song. When he's finished singing, read the last of the rhyme. Caution all who choose to sing a song that the music can only last a short time, because somebody's got to get dinner started -- sometime before bedtime. References Sing a song of sixpence - Kidspot more Seasonal >> Sing a song of sixpence Nursery rhymes are a fun way to teach your children about music, rhyme and language. Teach your kids the lyrics to your favourite nursery rhymes and they’ll remember them forever. Sing a song of sixpence lyrics Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye; Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie. When the pie was opened, the birds began to sing, Wasn’t that a dainty dish to set before the king?

The king was in the counting-house, counting out his money; The queen was in the parlour, eating bread and honey; The maid was in the garden, hanging out the clothes, When down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose. from search listings Kidspot Marketplace is the place to find children’s services, products, activities and more. Try it today! kidspot marketplace kidspot can be viewed on multiple devices a note about relevant advertising We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. This is also known as Online Behavioural Advertising. You can find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out here Copyright © 2017 Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. Sign in quickly and securely with your social network: Or, sign in with your Kidspot account: Remember me Don't have an account yet? Click here Register to get the latest Kidspot news & offers or enter competitions.

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The King was in his countinghouse, Counting out his money; The Queen was in the parlor Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes. Along there came a big black bird And snipped off her nose! This song was originally posted at: Link to this song from your website or blog: <a href="">Sing a Song of Sixpence Lyrics on BusSongs.com</a> Recommendations Information About Sing a Song of Sixpence Sing a Song of Sixpence is a renowned English nursery rhyme and dates back to at least the 18th eighteenth century. There is no evidence to the rhyme's definitive origins. The song first appeared in a book named "Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book" published in 1744. During Tudor times cooks in rich homes would try every possible way to make as many meat dishes as different, colourful and exciting as possible, especially at banquets. It is said that one such dish was a pie filled with live blackbirds and presented at such a banquet for Henry VII and of course when opened the birds flew out singing.

Sing a Song of Sixpence was originally used as a coded message to tell a potential crew that there was a pirate ship in dock. For further information about the song "Sing a Song of Sixpence" you may find Wikipedia helpful. Alternative Lyrics & Related Songs

Question: What does one have a pocketful of in the nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence”?
Answer: Rye